


Taking on Your Curse

by modzy78



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, No Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28339590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/modzy78/pseuds/modzy78
Summary: Tohru didn't realize she actually made a New Year wish when she was talking to Kyo. And that some wishes do come true.
Relationships: Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou
Comments: 70
Kudos: 59





	1. New Year Wish

**Author's Note:**

> These characters are created by Takaya Natsuki. Please make sure to support her works if you haven't already. (I'm guessing you probably have if you're reading this story.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tohru goes with Kyo to the first shrine visit of the new year. She has a wish in mind but accidently makes another one first. Kyo also makes a wish without realizing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set at the end of season 2 of the anime. At this point, it follows canon fairly well.  
> Cultural notes: Toshikoshi soba is eaten on New Year's Eve, and osechi is a selection of food prepared to be eaten on New Year's Day. Mikan is a citrus fruit similar to a tangerine or satsuma. Viewing the first sunrise of the year and the first temple visit are also significant and are referenced in the anime.

"I hope you will accept my humble offering for the evening." Tohru Honda bowed deeply as she placed the bowls onto the table.

Kazuma Sohma bowed even more deeply. "I only hope to respect your generosity in taking the time to prepare toshikoshi soba for us."

She waved her hands in her flustered manner. "Oh, no, Master Kazuma! I'm the one imposing on your generosity tonight. The least I could do was prepare the meals to celebrate the New Year."

Kyo Sohma picked up his chopsticks and rolled his eyes. "It's going to be New Year before you finish if you two keep going much longer. Can we just sit down and eat?" Tohru's face reddened as she sank to her knees and picked up her bowl. Kyo watched her as he took his first slurp of noodles. "Are you just going to sit there? You took the time to cook, so you shouldn't wait to eat." He picked up the teapot sitting in the middle of the table and filled her cup. "Here. You didn't bother to drink anything, did you?" She shook her head, following his cue to take a drink and start eating.

Kazuma lifted his cup to his lips to hide his smile. When would his son admit his feelings? Something has obviously happened recently, but he wasn't sure exactly what. He had a feeling it had something to do with the class play. Perhaps he could try to encourage things. "Kyo, will you be visiting the shrine with me tomorrow?"

Kyo paused. "I guess so. It's been a few years since I've gone there."

Tohru's eyes lit up. "You have a special shrine to go to? Is it a Sohma family one?"

Kyo scowled. "There is a family one on the 'inside' for the zodiac members to visit. But I've never been there. The Cat's not welcome."

"You're not missing anything." Rin Sohma entered the room, eyes flashing. "We have to go in front of all the maids, servants, and...parents. And we have to grovel at Akito's feet while they pretend to like us. It's disgusting."

Tohru held up a fourth bowl of noodles with a hopeful smile. "Isuzu-san! I'm so happy you came down! I've made you some toshikoshi soba. It brings luck for the new year. I hope you'll try some."

Rin eyed the bowl and sighed. She took it out of Tohru's hand and turned. "I'll eat it in my room." She strode out the door.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "That was impressive, Tohru-kun. I can hardly ever get Isuzu-chan to accept anything from me."

"That's because your cooking isn't even edible," deadpanned Kyo. "Maybe you should take lessons."

Kazuma chuckled. "Perhaps you could teach me." He turned to Tohru. "You were asking about the shrine we visit." Tohru nodded with full attention. "I have a friend who is a priest at a local shrine. It's very small and is a bit out of the way. So it doesn't get crowds, even on New Year's. Kyo and I often go shortly after watching the first sunrise. Would you care to join us this year?"

Tohru clasped her hands in front of her chest, eyes glowing. "That would be wonderful. But...I wouldn't want to impose on your visit."

"It would be no imposition at all. It would be an honor for you to join us."

"No, no! The honor would be all mine! I mean, you've already been so kind to invite me into your home. This is really too..." She stopped as Kyo lightly bopped her on the side of the head.

"He wouldn't have invited you if he didn't want you to come. Just calm down and eat already."

"But you don't mind if I come, do you, Kyo-kun?" Her eyes widened in worry. 

"Of course not. Someone's got to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't knock anything over. But you'll have to be up before sunrise, okay?" Tohru nodded happily.

Kazuma smiled as he watched his son resume eating. He was certain this visit was going to be unlike any other they've had.

The morning dawned clear and cold. Tohru wrapped her scarf around her neck as she ran outside to watch the sunrise. "Good morning, Kyo-kun and Master Kazuma! Where are we going to watch the sunrise?"

Kyo grinned and pointed. "I've always liked watching it from the top of that tree." She looked up, eyes widening with a gasp. He held back a laugh. She was so fun to tease. He was about to speak when he saw her jaw set with a glint in her eye. She eyed the lowest branch, rocked back on her heels, and started to run. "Tohru!" He crouched and sprang into the air, easily landing on the branch. He pivoted just in time to see her jump. Her fingertips grazed the branch. He reached down and grabbed her arm before she lost her grip. He helped her clamber onto the branch, careful not to pull her close enough to trigger a transformation. 

"I did it!" Tohru panted and looked at the next branch. It was waist high. She swung her leg up, to Kyo's alarm. "How high should we go to see the sunrise?"

"You want to go higher?" Wow. She was so brave. He shook his head to clear it, examining the branches carefully. He had to make sure she didn't get herself into a dangerous position. "Just go on that one and the next one up. It looks pretty stable." He glanced down. "Master! You need to be ready to catch her if something happens." Kazuma nodded. Kyo noticed he had already moved into position. He waited until she was sitting on the branch before springing lightly into the air and landing next to her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Of course! I'm stronger than I look!" She held up a fist with a determined expression that Kyo found absolutely adorable. A gust of wind shook the branch, and she paled. Kyo grabbed her hand.

"It's not your strength that worries me. It's your klutziness." He smiled at her. "We're just in time to watch the sunrise. Try to lean against the trunk, and I'll block the wind." He moved closer to her to protect her from the wind, a blush creeping onto his face. At least he could blame the wind for it. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. The sun burst into view with an orange glow that illuminated her excited face. She was so beautiful. More beautiful than any sunrise could ever hope to be. He watched her until the sky turned blue. "Are you ready to climb down?" She nodded with a serene smile. Tohru was able to safely get down with Kyo and Kazuma's help. She took a breath when she reached the ground.

"Are you both ready to go to the shrine?" Kyo nodded.

"Wait. What about Isuzu-san? Should I wake her?" Tohru turned towards the house. Kyo grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Let her sleep. If she wanted to come, she would have been here already. She's never come with us before. Let's go before it gets too late." Tohru nodded and walked next to Kyo. Neither of them found it odd that he hadn't let go of her hand. Kazuma raised an eyebrow but kept silent as he led the way.

"Kyo-kun, you must be excited to visit the shrine again."

He shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"But it is. The first shrine visit of the year is very important. Mom and I always made sure to go as early as possible." She quieted for a moment. Kyo watched her closely, wondering if he needed to pull her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him. "Today must be hard on you."

He froze. "Why would it be hard on me?"

She looked down and squeezed his hand as they continued walking. "Well...Everyone else is together. And...you're...always left out. I can't imagine how hard the curse must be on you."

Kyo shrugged. "I'm used to it. Don't worry about me." He didn't want her to know how touched he was by her concern.

Tohru's eyes filled with tears. "It's sad that you're all used to it. I wish," they stepped over the threshold of the shrine, "that I could take on your curse for you, if only for one day." She shivered suddenly.

Kyo felt helpless to comfort her. "I wish I could hold you, even for five minutes," he muttered. A chill ran up his spine. Tohru looked up at him in confusion.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He smiled and patted her head. "You don't want this curse. Trust me." Tohru looked like she wanted to protest but stopped with a squeak. Kyo turned and saw the priest approaching.

"Kazuma-sensei. Kyo-san." Kyo tried not to twitch at the honorific. "It is a pleasure to see you. And who is your beautiful young girlfriend?" Kyo dropped her hand with a red face. Why did everyone think they were a couple?

"I'm very sorry! My name is Tohru Honda." She lowered herself into a deep bow. "I'm not Kyo-kun's girlfriend. He's a wonderful friend. Master Kazuma and Kyo-kun were kind enough to allow me to stay with them for the New Year and to accompany them to the shrine. I'm sorry if I misled you." Kyo bopped her head lightly. She stopped talking and stood up, face nearly as red as his.

The priest shared a quick glance with Kazuma before bowing. "My apologies. My name is Kiyoshi Saito. I'm honored that you've chosen to visit my shrine so early in the year."

"No, the honor is mine!" Kyo grinned as Tohru bowed again. She could keep this up all day. "This is such a peaceful and beautiful shrine. It's a perfect place to reflect on the upcoming year."

"And we're known for our wishes. They're more likely to come true here than at a crowded shrine. Especially those that are sincere." Tohru gasped with wide eyes. Kyo resisted rolling his eyes. She couldn't honestly believe that. He sighed. Of course she could.

"Kyo-kun! Let's go pray and make our wishes right now!" He followed her with a smile.

They stood quietly at the shrine. Kyo watched her muttering. She was so cute. He thought about his wish. It was so simple. He wanted to spend as much time with her as he could this year. It was his last year of freedom, and he didn't want to waste a minute. He closed his eyes and bowed his head to finish.

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully. Other than dealing with Yuki and Momiji stopping by to see Tohru. Why did they bother coming? The Rat was going to see them that night. He left the room until they were gone and then helped Tohru serve the osechi and ozoni. It was nice sharing the holiday meal with her. His heart ached at the realization that moments like these would never last. Soon they prepared to leave.

"Thank you for the mikans, Master Kazuma!"

"And thank you for the delicious meal to start the year. Please feel free to stop by whenever you are in the area."

"I will. Thank you!"

"And Kyo," he ruffled Kyo's hair. "It's always my pleasure to welcome the New Year with you. I look forward to seeing you in the dojo soon." Kyo nodded with a small blush. Why did his dad have to be so embarrassing?

Kyo and Tohru walked home, where Yuki and Shigure were waiting. Tohru went to get ready for bed after making tea for everyone. Kyo yawned. He suddenly felt very tired. It was almost as bad as he felt during the rainy season. That was odd on such a clear day. Maybe it was the early start. Only...he was often up before the sun. He trudged up the stairs with heavy legs. Maybe he was getting sick. That hardly ever happened. He just needed a good night's sleep. But...first...he needed...to get ready...for...bed. Why...was...he...so...groggy? And why...was...Tohru's room...so...quiet? He collapsed onto his bed as everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's wrong with Kyo? And is Tohru okay? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out. I'm going to try to update on Mondays, since there are no longer new episodes.


	2. Dreams and Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyo has a strange dream and finds that reality has changed in unexpected ways.

Kyo's eyes opened in the darkness. He was standing in a large room. Alone. No. Wait. Something was next to him. His eyes adjusted to the darkness. No. The light. It was coming from a small figure at his feet. An orange cat with an unearthly glow. It looked at him. He felt like it was staring into his soul. Or maybe he was looking into his own. "Are you," his voice echoed loudly, "my spirit?"

Its voice came out in a low hiss. "Not today." It turned and walked away. 

Kyo's feet moved of their own accord. The Cat's pace picked up until Kyo was running. "Wait!" He couldn't keep up. He made out a figure ahead. It was a girl with long hair. She looked vaguely familiar. The girl crouched down with her arms out. The Cat's legs tensed, and it pounced. "No! Stop!" Her arms embraced the Cat, and she was enveloped with an orange glow. A glow just like the sunrise. "Tohru!"

Kyo's eyes shot open as he sat up quickly. He looked around his room. It was a dream. A very strange dream. He held his head in his hands while he reoriented himself. It was morning. He had fallen asleep in his clothes. He stretched, trying to work out the kinks in his muscles. Something didn't feel right. "Maybe I am getting sick." He crept into the bathroom and splashed water on his face. He felt a bit more alert. He grabbed his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth. He glanced at the mirror and froze. "No way." The toothbrush fell forgotten into the sink as he took a step back. "No way." A high pitched scream echoed in the hall.

Kyo ran out the door in a panic. He caught a glimpse of bright orange before feeling a small body slam into his chest. He tensed as the familiar puff of smoke surrounded him. He looked down into the frightened eyes of an orange cat. It cried out and streaked down the stairs with a scream, leaving a pile of clothing on the floor.

A door slammed open. "Miss Honda!" Yuki ran past without a second glance and hurtled down the stairs.

Kyo grabbed the clothing in a rush and ran after him. "No way. There's no way." 

Kyo froze in the doorway, surveying the surreal scene in front of him. The cat was shaking under the table. Shigure had emerged from his room and gave the cat an amused glance. He sat down, obviously looking forward to seeing what the commotion was all about. Yuki folded his arms and glared at the cat in contempt. "Do you have any idea what time it is, you stupid Cat?" The cat's fur puffed out, and Yuki sneered. "Are you seriously trying to intimidate ME with that pathetic display? You know I can beat you without even trying. So why don't you tell me what you did to make Miss Honda scream like that? Maybe I'll let you off easy."

"Tohru?" Yuki's head whipped around at the sound of Kyo's voice. He looked between the boy and the cat and back again, mouth agape. Kyo ignored him as he walked across the room and knelt down in front of the cat. "Is that you?"

"K,k,k,k,kyo-kun?" Her voice trembled. "What's happening to us?"

"I...I...don't know. Did you have a strange dream?" There was a puff of smoke before she had a chance to respond. He looked down at the ground quickly and scrambled to grab the pile of clothing. He held it up with closed eyes. "HERE! Take them!" He didn't look up until she sat down across from him. He raised his head and froze in shock. Her hair was bright orange. So were her eyes. The pupils kept switching between being round and slits. Just like his always did when he was stressed. This didn't make any sense.

Tohru stared at Kyo in confusion. "Your hair. And your eyes. They're...brown. Do your parents have brown hair?"

A lump caught in his throat. He swallowed hard. "My mom...did."

Tohru smiled a tender smile. At least her smile was the same. "So you would have taken after her if you weren't cursed." Her hand touched his hair. "She must have been pretty." 

Kyo shrugged. He didn't want to have this conversation right now. Especially not in front of Yuki and Shigure. "Doesn't matter. We need to figure out what's going on." He tensed in response to a figure hurtling through the air. His hands flew up by instinct to block, but the force of the impact slammed him flat onto the ground.

Yuki was on top of him, his face contorted with rage. He grabbed the front of Kyo's shirt with one hand, fist raised in the other. "What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything! Do you really think I'd do something like that to her? Are you really that stupid?" He threw Yuki off him without thinking, instinct from years of training taking over. Yuki landed hard, rolling into a crouch. They looked at each other in shock. Kyo had never managed to catch Yuki off guard before. Yuki scowled, muscles tensing to continue the fight.

"Please! Don't fight!" Tohru scrambled towards Yuki in a panic. She slipped, and her arms wrapped around his waist. She held tight for a few seconds with her eyes closed. Suddenly, they shot open. She stared into Yuki's eyes, which mirrored her own shock and confusion.

Kyo gaped, "What the hell?"

Shigure's eyes narrowed with a smile. "Well, well. This IS an interesting development. Very interesting indeed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we've now diverged from the canon. Things are definitely going to get interesting.


	3. A logical explanation?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can anyone come up with a reason why Tohru now appears to be the Cat?

"Yes, thank you. I'll see you soon. Just try to keep it quiet, okay?" Tohru watched with anxious eyes as Shigure hung up the phone. "Hatori is on his way over. Perhaps he can shed some light on what is happening to the two of you."

Kyo frowned with narrowed eyes. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What if Akito finds out about this?"

Tohru's eyes widened at the mention of Akito's name, and her heart gave a thump. Akito. The God of the Zodiac. Part of her had a desire for Akito to find out. Another part of flashed warnings at the prospect of the God's wrath. She didn't know which part to listen to. She stared ahead in a daze, slightly shaking. She was brought back to reality by the feel of a fist bumping her head.

"Hey. Try not to worry." Kyo's eyes were full of concern. Even though the color was wrong, his expressions were still the same. Tohru tried to ground herself by focusing on them. "Hatori will come up with something." He grasped her hand. She sighed and squeezed it. Maybe his strength could help her. They sat together at the table to wait.

Tohru tried to focus on herself, but she didn't feel right. There was something inside of her that wasn't there yesterday. She could feel it filling her body. Her vision was sharper, and she could pick out sounds she never noticed before, including Kyo's heartbeat. It kept speeding up when he looked at her. Was it because he was worried? She felt disconnected to him in a way, like there was a barrier between them she had never noticed before. She found herself focusing on Yuki and Shigure, who felt more real to her. They were connected. Even though part of her wanted to push Yuki away and yell at him. The feeling scared her. It also scared her a bit when they looked at her. There was something there she had never seen. She shuddered as she thought of how Yuki spoke to her when she was in her cat form. There was no kindness there. Only scorn. It was what she deserved. Her leg started to twitch. She couldn't stay here. It was too enclosed. Too claustrophobic. She needed air. 

"Wait. Where are you going?" She walked out the door, not even bothering to put her socks and shoes on. She heard Kyo's footsteps following but couldn't stop. Her head whipped up as she breathed in the sharp air. She could smell so much. She looked overhead at the old tree in front of the door. She couldn't stop a smile from slowly forming. Perfect. She crouched and jumped, easily landing on a branch. In a flash, she was at the top of the tree. It was so peaceful up there. She closed her eyes and smiled. Her eyes opened when she heard the crunch of footsteps on the path. It was Hatori. Momiji was with him. She could hear the Rabbit's shocked voice clearly.

"Kyo! What happened to you? And where's Tohru?" She grinned and let go of the tree. The feeling of weightlessness was exhilarating. She dimly noticed Kyo looking up in response to Momiji's question, mouth agape and eyes widening. She landed in front of him, her grin turning into a beaming smile.

"I...never realized how high it looks from down here." Tohru's hair whipped in the wind as she turned to the two visitors.

"Tohru! Tohru! That was amazing!" Momiji threw his arms around her without hesitation. He had never cared about transforming in front of her. His eyes widened with a laugh. "Wow! I can hug you! This is wunderbar!" She couldn't help but smile as he jumped around, hugging from every direction. The smile died as she caught a glimpse of Kyo's face. He looked sad for some reason. Momiji followed her gaze. "What? Kyo, can't you hug Tohru, too?" He barely shook his head. "Oh. In that case, I'll have to hug Tohru enough for the both of us!" Tohru smiled at Momiji, even though her earlier happiness had faded away. It wasn't his fault that everything was wrong.

"Momiji, could you give it a rest for now? I need to examine them." Hatori rubbed the bridge of his nose and put his glasses back on. "Follow me inside." The teenagers all entered the house.

Hatori's examination was short. He checked their vital signs and asked them each questions about how they felt. He looked at his notes with a frown. "You're both healthy. It seems that the curse has somehow transferred from Kyo to you. There's no logical explanation for it."

Kyo barked out a harsh laugh. "Logical? Since when has anything about this curse been logical?"

Hatori leveled a stare at him. "It has always followed its own logic. Only members of the Sohma family are cursed. The physical traits are genetic and last for a lifetime. Kazuma-san's father showed that some of these traits can be passed onto children, at least in a diluted form." He shook his head. "Of course you wouldn't know that. You've never met the man. But I can assure you that his hair and eye colors reflect a muted form of the Cat's. As do the highlights in Kazuma-san's hair. The point is that your hair and eye colors should not be any different. And Tohru isn't a Sohma, so it shouldn't be possible for her to be cursed. Lastly, the curse is only supposed to pass when the bearer dies. And I can assure you that you are alive and well. Is there anything else out of the ordinary you can tell me?"

Kyo paused. "I was really tired last night. To the point that I passed out without changing my clothes. It was as bad as when I'm in the rain. And I had a strange dream. About the Cat running away from me."

Tohru gasped. "I had a dream, too! Except a cat was coming to me. It was warm and glowing. It felt like it melted into me when I picked it up." A smile twitched on the corner of her lip.

Hatori made a note. "It appears that your dreams represented the Cat spirit moving between you. But that doesn't explain WHY that occurred. Is there anything else you can think of that happened yesterday?"

Tohru's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "The shrine! Remember what Saito-sama said? He said the wishes were more likely to come true there, especially when they're sincere!"

Kyo fixed her with a skeptical stare. "Are you telling me that you spent your time wishing that you could be the Cat?"

"No! Of course not! I wished for...something else." She felt a twinge of shame at her wish. "But I did say something when we were walking in. Do you remember?"

"You mean that stupid thing about wanting to take on my curse, if only for one day?" Tohru nodded. "But that was just a silly conversation. You didn't really mean it." He paused, looking closely at her. "Did you?"

"I meant it with ever fiber of my being." His face drained of color. "It makes sense, doesn't it? I didn't know I was making a wish, but the shrine did." Kyo shook his head in disbelief.

Hatori sighed. "It's unusual, but I do admit that it is a reasonable explanation. If that is the case, the spirit should return to Kyo during the night." He leveled a stare at the pair. "I recommend that you both remain at home today. Try to stay out of trouble. I don't want my other services to be required." He turned to walk back to the car. "Momiji, are you coming?"

"I'm going to stay and keep an eye on Tohru." Kyo scowled as Momiji grabbed her hands. "Let's have lots of fun together today." He gave her another hug and skipped back into the house. "Come on!" 

Tohru followed quietly. One day. Only one day. How could she give up this connection to everyone after only one day? Kyo frowned as he focused on her face. There was no way he knew what she was thinking. Was there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what Kazuma's father looks like, but I assume that he inherited some of the Cat's features. I made up the part about Kazuma's highlights, but I do think his eye shape is similar to Kyo's to reflect his ancestry.


	4. Hidden secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Tohru keep her secret from her friends?

Tohru followed Momiji into the house, her thoughts wandering. Everything was more of a jumble than usual. And Momiji wouldn't stop talking. Part of her was annoyed at his constant chatter. But she'd never been annoyed by the Rabbit before. It just must be because she was tired. Her reverie was broken by a harsh ring. She jumped in surprise. "It's just the phone, silly!" exclaimed Momiji.

Shigure came into the hall. "It's for you, Tohru-kun. It's your friends."

Tohru's hands waved in a panic. "Oh, no! I'm supposed to meet up with them today to celebrate the New Year! How could I forget?"

"It's not very hard to know why," deadpanned Kyo. "Do you want me to talk to them? I can tell them you're sick. That's not far from the truth."

"No! No! I'll talk to them! I don't want them to worry."

"Suit yourself." He glared at Momiji. "You. Keep quiet. Or else they'll know something strange is going on." Momiji nodded and pretended to lock his mouth shut with a key. Kyo shook his head with a sigh and followed Tohru into the hallway.

"Yo! Tohru! Where are you? We're at the cafe already."

"I'm really sorry, Uo-chan. I kind of forgot." Tohru looked at the floor in shame. She really was the worst friend ever.

"Forgot? That's not like you. Are you feeling okay?"

"Actually," Tohru sighed. "No. I think I caught a...cold at the shrine yesterday. Kyo-kun's not feeling well, either. I think it's best if I stay home. I'm really sorry."

"There's no need to worry, Tohru-kun. Your health is what matters." Hana-chan's voice paused at the other end of the line. "Wait. Your waves." Tohru stiffened. Could she sense waves from so far away? "They don't seem like normal. They remind me of the Sohma boys in a way. Are you sure you're all right?"

Tohru forced herself to laugh. "I'm fine. It's just a cold. Maybe you're just sensing the others in the house."

"Perhaps. But Tohru-kun,"

"Yes?"

"Please call us if you need any help. We'll be right there if you need us."

"Thank you, Hana-chan, Uo-chan. But I'm fine. Really. It's really nothing. I'm sure I'll be back to normal tomorrow. Thank you for your concern. I'll see you later!" She hung up the phone with a sigh. She was terrible. All she could do was keep secrets. They kept building as time passed.

Momiji unlocked his mouth. "Hurray! Now we can play!" He stopped and looked at Tohru with concern. "That is if you're up to it."

She shook her head to clear it and plastered on a smile. She didn't want to worry Momiji, too. "Of course I am! I was just thinking about my friends. What do you want to do, Momiji-kun?"

He tilted his head and held his finger to his mouth. "Wellllll. Harii says you need to stay inside and take it easy. Soooo." His eyes brightened. "I know! Let's watch movies! We can have popcorn and make a pillow fort. And we can cuddle all day!"

Tohru forced herself to laugh. "That sounds great! I'll go get some pillows."

"And I'll start the popcorn!" He bounced out of the room. Tohru started up the stairs, noticing heavy footsteps behind her.

"Tohru." She paused. "You don't have to do this. I can tell Momiji to get lost. You've got to be freaked out. I know I'm freaked out. And it's got to be harder for you. You can do what you want today, even it it seems selfish." She turned and looked into Kyo's eyes. He was so kind and understanding. She didn't deserve it. She never did. Her fingers absently touched the string of beads that had appeared on her wrist during the night. They were heavy, but they needed to be. 

She smiled. "I want to do this. It will be a good distraction. We just need to kill time, right?" He sighed and followed her to help carry the pillows and blankets down.

Momiji settled next to her with his arms wrapped around her. He was so happy to touch her. Why? Didn't he know how she really was? Obviously not if he was still here. Yuki and Shigure had a better idea. They kept leaving the room. They knew she didn't belong with them. She didn't belong with anyone. She was always an outcast. A rice ball AND a Cat.

Then there was Kyo. He sat on the other side of her, careful to leave some space between them. He probably didn't want to trigger another transformation. Or maybe he could see what she really was. His brown eyes were fixed on her every time she glanced his direction. It was unsettling. Like he could see into her soul. She just wanted him to stop. It was a relief when the phone rang and he stood up to answer. It honestly didn't matter who it was, so long as she got a break from his stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who could possibly be on the phone?


	5. A unwanted call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyo gets a call from the last person in the world he wants to talk to.

Kyo picked up the phone, figuring it was going to be Tohru's friends again. "Hello?"

"Kyo." He froze at the sound of the voice. "I've heard some...unusual...tales about you and Tohru Honda."

"You've heard wrong." This was the last conversation he needed to have right now. He glanced sharply at Tohru. She was spacing out while starting at the television. Good.

"Don't lie to me, you worthless boy!" Akito's voice was sharp. Kyo tensed but wasn't afraid. Odd. "Did you honestly think you could hide something like that from me? ME? I could tell something had changed hours ago." Kyo could hear Akito take a breath and could almost picture the smirk forming. "Hatori couldn't keep the secret from me. I can be very...persuasive."

"I'm sure he told you it's a short-term situation. So you don't need to worry about it." He just needed to stall for one day.

"Don't tell me what to worry about!" Shit. This wasn't working. "I want to speak to Tohru Honda. I need to...properly...welcome her into the Zodiac." Kyo clenched his jaw. There was no way he was going to let that happen.

"She's busy right now." Tohru turned towards him at that. He waved her away as she stood and walked towards him.

"Is everything all right, Kyo-kun? You've been on the phone for a while now." How was he going to get her away?

"Well, well. Who do I hear there? She doesn't sound very busy to me, 'Kyo-kun.' Put her on. Now."

"No way." He knew this was not going to go over well. He turned to hang up.

"Let me talk to Tohru Honda NOW!" Kyo flinched at the volume of Akito's scream. That was a mistake. He felt the receiver being wrenched from his hand and pivoted. No.

"Hello, this is Tohru Honda." Her eyes widened with a look of pure awe. "A,A,Akito-sama? You want to talk to me?" She nodded as she listened. "Really? That would be wonderful!" Her face broke into an expression of pure joy. Kyo's heart jumped into his throat. "I'll let him know right away. Thank you so much!" She hung up the phone with a happy squeal.

"Tohru? What's going on?" Kyo's heart wouldn't slow down. Tohru's eyes shone in a way that wasn't natural. She turned and ran into the main room. Momiji looked up as Shigure and Yuki entered.

"Shigure-san! You'll never guess who was on the phone! It was Akito-sama!" Kyo noticed Yuki and Momiji stiffen. Shigure sat and fixed her with a searching look. "Guess what? He wants to see me! ME! Isn't that wonderful! I need you to take me to him right away!" Her voice got a frantic quality that Kyo had never heard before. He had to do something to calm her down. He raised a fist and bopped her on the head. She paused and looked at him with that unnatural gleam.

"Do you think that's a good idea? Maybe you should wait until tomorrow." He reached out for her hand. Her pupils narrowed into slits as a growl escaped her throat. She swatted his hand away.

"NO! I will NOT wait! I'm going NOW! You can't stop me!" Kyo felt the hair on his neck stand up. She was losing control of herself. And he wasn't sure how to bring her back. "Shigure! We need to leave right away!"

Shigure stood with a sigh. "Of course. I wouldn't dream of keeping Akito-san waiting." He looked at Kyo with a mild expression while walking towards him. "Are you joining us, Kyo?" Kyo scowled. Shigure's voice dropped to a whisper as he walked past. "Unless, of course, you'd prefer Tohru-kun to go alone."

Kyo sighed. "Of course I'm coming." He forced a smile that he hoped would be enough to placate Tohru. "I'm...really...happy...for you. I wouldn't miss it."

She clasped Kyo's hands. "Thank you so much, Kyo-kun! I'm so happy you're coming! Let's go!"

He followed her with heavy steps. Tohru was strong, but was she strong enough for this? He was afraid that the curse was consuming her. Would she be able to come back from this without being broken? He wasn't sure, but he was going to do everything in his power to help her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens. I know Tohru might be acting a bit out of character here, but I hope it makes sense with the situation.


	6. Summoned by a god

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Torhu meets with Akito. How will the meeting go?

Tohru stared absently out of the window. She couldn't stop fidgeting. Akito wanted to see her. Her! It was more than she could ever dream of. She glanced at Kyo, who was sitting next to her. Why was he looking at her like that? He looked a bit scared. It didn't make sense. He knew how important Akito was. And how much of an honor a summons was. So why wasn't he happier? She was happy when HE was summoned at the beach house. She paused as a memory filled her head. Of Kyo rubbing his cheek and casually mentioning fighting with Akito. Why had Akito hurt him? Akito wouldn't hurt the Zodiac members for no reason. Would he? A image of Yuki looking terrified at school flashed through her mind, followed by Momiji being punched during the night. She shook her head. Her mind must be playing tricks on her. Akito wasn't like that. He was the God. He couldn't be judged by someone as worthless as her.

She felt her hand being squeezed and looked at Kyo. How did he look even more worried? "Look. You don't have to do this if you don't want to. We can tell Akito that you're feeling too sick to meet him if it's too much." He looked so sincere. But he didn't understand. The idea of turning back felt like tearing her heart from her chest. 

She squeezed his hand and smiled. "I'm fine. I WANT to do this. You don't need to worry about me." Somehow he looked even more concerned. Her jaw clenched. What was wrong with him? He was probably just jealous that he wasn't summoned more often. Yes, that had to be it.

"We're here." Tohru sighed in relief at Shigure's statement and unbuckled her seatbelt. Shigure held up his hand. "Wait just a minute. Akito was giving me some instructions on the phone." Tohru paused and gave Shigure her full attention. He looked at her with a sigh.

"The only people who know about your...condition...are the people in this car, Hatori, and Akito-san. Akito wants it to remain that way, at least for now." Everyone nodded. "I've taken a back route into the estate and have parked in a secluded garage. It joins with an audience chamber that's rarely used. The maids and servants won't be around to welcome us. Akito has dismissed them for an hour to give you time to meet. Do you understand?" They nodded again.

"Good." He looked towards the other window. "Momiji, I recommend that you head home. Remember not to tell anyone about what has happened."

"My lips are sealed." Momiji looked across the seat. "Good luck, Tohru. I'm sure Akito will be happy to see you. After all, how could anyone not be?" Tohru smiled in gratitude as he exited the car and walked away.

Shigure turned to the passenger seat. "Yuki. Would you like to visit Haru for a while? I know you don't like to come to the main estate."

Yuki's face had gone pale but was resolute. "I'll stay. Miss Honda might need me." Why would she need the Rat? He was probably jealous, too. After all, he wasn't the chosen one today. A small voice whispered that Yuki wasn't like that, but she ignored it.

"Kyo, you may come into the entrance chamber if you wish." Kyo nodded with an intense expression. "However, you won't be allowed into the audience chamber. You'll have to wait outside."

Kyo sighed. "That's what I'm used to. I won't cause any trouble for Tohru."

She smiled. "Thank you, Kyo-kun! You'll see that there's nothing to worry about." He wouldn't meet her eyes.

Shigure looked straight at her. "Tohru-kun. Please be careful until we are inside the audience chamber. We don't want to risk anyone seeing your hair and asking questions." She nodded. Shigure exited the car, and Tohru fell into step next to him. He looked sideways at her. "Make sure to show Akito the appropriate level of respect. He can be an imposing figure, and he rightly does not tolerate disrespect from us." A shiver ran down her spine. "Remember your position as the Cat. You are extremely lucky to be granted this audience. Don't forget that." He patted the top of her head with a playful smile. "You're always unfailingly polite. Just be yourself, and you'll be fine." They entered the building during this conversation and stopped in front of a door. "Just give me a moment to make sure Akito is ready to see you." 

Tohru's heart beat wildly in her chest. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. Should she be this (afraid) nervous? She felt something being thrust into her hands. "Tohru?" She met Kyo's eyes. She could see Yuki watching from the corner of her vision. "Here. You forgot your bag. I'm sure you wouldn't want your mom to miss this." Mom? What was he talking about? Her mom wasn't here. She wasn't anywhere. She grasped the bag just to stop him from worrying. His expression darkened a bit. "Just...be careful, okay? And...you can always leave if it gets too...intense for you. I'll be right out here if you need me." Would he just stop talking? His anxiety was going to rub off on her.

The door slid open, and she whipped around. "Tohru-kun? Akito-san is ready for you. He's asked for you to go in alone." She nodded, taking another deep breath. She entered the room, and the door slid shut behind her. She took a few cautious steps towards the light.

"Welcome, my dear little Cat. It's so good to see you." Her heart stopped as her eyes adjusted to the light. Akito stood next to a mirror and smiled at her. He was glorious. And so powerful. Her vision blurred as her eyes filled with tears. Her bag fell to the floor forgotten as she stepped closer. She wanted to be closer to him. Closer. As close as she could be. And to...run away. No. She had to get closer to this terrifying being. He was her universe. Akito reached out towards her face. Her gasp turned into a purr at the God's touch. She had never felt so happy. "Yes. That's right. Keep looking at me with those adoring eyes. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes," Tohru breathed in response. Akito's eyes glowed purple. The color flooded Tohru's vision. Everything felt clearer to her.

"You are mine. You are bound to me." The words rang in Tohru's head and filled her being.

"Only to you." Akito embraced her, and she was filled with a sense of peace. Why did the others fear this feeling? It was bliss. She choked back her panic when Akito pulled away.

Akito surveyed her shrewdly. She shivered. For a moment she felt like prey looking up at the jaws of a predator. "But I've been told that our bond, our beautiful bond, will only last for one day." Tohru sobbed. It wasn't fair. How could she give this feeling up so soon? Kyo didn't appreciate it at all. But she needed it. Akito placed his finger under Tohru's chin and lifted her head. She quieted her sobs. "Perhaps...we could make our bond more...permanent?"

"Permanent? How?"

"This situation is...unprecedented. But I think it's possible. If you truly want to."

Tohru smiled, something in her jumping with joy. "I do!"

Akito's smile caused another shiver. "Wonderful. We'll need to work quickly. I'll draw up the paperwork to adopt you into the family. You must be a Sohma to bear a spirit, after all." Adopted? Into a family that wanted her? "We'll need to withdraw you from school. And you'll need to gather your things and say your goodbyes."

"My goodbyes? Withdraw from school? I...I don't understand."

Akito laughed. "You can't expect to maintain your life, can you? How would you explain things to people? They'll take one look at you and know that you're not normal. You're cursed!" Tohru gasped. Akito's expression softened and his voice became silky. "That's why you need to stay with me."

"What about the rest of the Zodiac?"

"They'll never accept you. The Cat belongs apart from everyone else. We have a special room that will be just for you."

Tohru remembered what Akito told her at the beach house. About Kyo's fate. No, HER fate. "I...I thought that wasn't supposed to happen until after graduation." The room was starting to spin. 

"That was only for Kyo. You, however, will have to be confined straight away." His voice dropped into that silky tone again. The one that caressed her and begged to be trusted. "It will be for the best. No one will understand what has happened to you. They'll hate you. Call you a freak. A monster! You'll be safe with me. I understand. I'll protect you. You'll never be alone." Tohru's heart beat in longing. It would be nice to never have to worry about being abandoned.

"But...what about my friends?" The dim outlines of Hana-chan and Uo-chan filled her mind.

"We can make them forget about you if you'd like." Tohru shook her head. Akito sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "They'll forget about you eventually. Friendships aren't eternal, unlike our bond." Could it be true? Would they really forget her? A memory of her mom appeared. It was hazy. She cried out in agony. "You don't need to worry. I'll never forget you." Was he telling the truth?

"What about K,k,kyo-kun?"

Akito scowled. "Him? He'll get to be normal. Free. He'll be better off without you." That was true. She knew it in her heart. He didn't deserve to be around someone as broken and dirty as her. He was too kind and pure. Why did he even want to be her friend? It was probably pity.

"I'll be right out here if you need me." The sound of his voice crashed into her memory. Along with that look in his eyes that tried to fix everything. To make everything clearer. Even when it was painful. No, especially when it was painful. How could she give that up? How could she walk away from their friendship? And how could she walk away from...

"Mom!" Tohru scrambled to her bag and pulled out the photograph. "Mom! I'm so, so sorry! I almost forgot! I almost forgot our promise! I won't give it up! I won't!" She glimpsed her face in the mirror. Her expression showed a combination of defiance and fear that tore her apart. "I'm sorry, but I can't go there yet. I have to stay on the outside. I have to graduate. I'm so sorry."

Akito ground his teeth in rage and raised his hand. Tohru tensed. She could never fight back. Not that she even wanted to. She deserved to be punished. Akito's hand dropped, and he smiled. "I see that I was wrong about you, Tohru Honda. You think you have some value. Some worth. I'll show you that you're mistaken. You're a monster, and you need to realize that." He strode to the door and opened it. "Kyo! I want you to come in! Now!" Tohru's eyes widened. What had she done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always found the Zodiac members' bond with Akito to be very interesting. It seems overwhelming during the first meeting, and Akito seems to be able to control it to some degree. I decided that Tohru needed to experience the full force of that bond here. The big question now is what will happen to Kyo.


	7. Transformation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyo is invited to the meeting. What does Akito have planned for him?

Kyo turned as soon as the door opened, muscles tense. "Kyo! I want you to come in! Now!" Akito didn't look happy. Shit. Kyo took a breath and entered, scanning the room. Tohru clutched her mom's picture as she shook on the floor. 

He rushed over to her and crouched down. "Are you okay?" She looked up at him with wild eyes. She had definitely been crying. He scanned her body for signs of injury. It looked like there was nothing physically wrong with her. But he knew that Akito could leave scars that weren't physical. He gently reached out and touched her shoulder, trying not to react when she flinched. She was so scared. Like a cornered animal. He had to stay calm for her sake. Even though all he wanted was to yell and punch Akito with everything he was worth.

"I...I'm fine." She didn't even try to smile to fool him. His arms ached to hold her and comfort her. His eyes narrowed as he saw Akito out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't afraid for himself, but he could see that Tohru was fragile. Too fragile. The tiniest mistake right now would shatter her.

He took a breath and stood, walking towards Akito. He didn't have to try to hide his fear because there was none. He never realized how small Akito was. But that size held power, at least to those who were cursed. "Are you done with her? Shigure said you only told the maids to stay away for an hour. There's not much time left."

Akito smiled. How could a smile be so twisted? "There's time enough for this. Tohru Honda has delusions that she isn't a monster. You and I both know that isn't true. I wanted you to witness it." He felt the color drain from his face as the implication hit him.

"No. Wait! You can't do that!" He couldn't stop his voice from rising. Akito walked to Tohru and pulled the picture from her hand, placing it in her bag with a sneer. He threw the bag at Kyo without a second glance. 

"I'm sure you'll want to keep that safe." He turned to Tohru. Her eyes widened and lost focus as she was transfixed in his gaze. Kyo couldn't stop a shiver of dread as Akito's low voice filled the room. "You wanted to know what it's like to be the Cat. I'm going to grant you that desire. The Cat is twisted. A monster. Just like you. You know it's the truth. It's time to stop pretending." Tohru's right hand wandered to the beads that circled her left wrist. Akito's voice radiated authority. "Take off those beads and release your true self." Her fingers gripped the beads.

"NO! Don't listen to him!"

"I have to." Her voice was blank. "He's right. I have to know." She slipped her wrist out of the beads and tossed them in his direction. He caught them and stood frozen. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't move. Couldn't help. Couldn't save her. Couldn't do...

"I'll never forgive you." The memory shocked him into action. He slipped the beads over his wrist to keep them safe and started running. He skidded to a stop in front of her and crouched down. Her eyes had already started changing. He had to do something. Anything. After all, he knew exactly what it was like. He was the only living soul who did. 

"Tohru! Look at me." He tried to keep his voice gentle but firm enough to get her attention. She looked in his direction, shaking as the transformation began. "Listen to me. I know it's scary. It's going to hurt. A lot." She shivered. He hated doing this to her, but he couldn't lie. "It's going to feel like your veins are on fire. Like every bone in your body is being broken and every muscle is being pulled apart. You're going to feel like you can't possibly survive." His voice hardened with resolve. "But you will. The pain will stop. You just have to keep going. Don't fight it." Was he getting through to her? He couldn't tell. The air was filling with smoke and the sounds and smells of the transformation. He could hardly breathe, but he had to keep talking. Do his best to keep her focused. "Do whatever you need to. Scream if you have to. Hell, you can even swear if that helps."

"NO!" Her voice came out in a low growl. "I'm NOT going to scream!" She gasped as a wave of pain hit her, fangs clamping together in a grimace. Kyo's mouth dropped open. Wow. Just...wow... How was she not screaming? How could she hold it in? How could she be so...strong? So much stronger than he ever could be. She was...amazing. Incredible.

The smoke cleared. Akito coughed with his mouth covered. "Disgusting. You're absolutely disgusting." He turned the mirror towards her. Tohru froze as she caught sight of her reflection. She jumped backwards and turned her head away. Akito's eyes blazed as he approached her. "Do you think that makes a difference? Do you think you can hide the truth? You're a monster! You always have been! You're pathetic! Disgusting! Dirty! Broken! And you always will be! No one will accept you! No one will stay with you! You'll spend your life alone!" He bent down and whispered something Kyo couldn't make out. She stiffened and whimpered. Akito stood up and looked down at her in contempt. "It's exactly what you deserve." He turned and walked to the door, pausing with his hand in the slot. He glanced at Kyo. "You can leave whenever you want. It's your choice whether you take that...thing...with you or not." He slipped out, slamming the door closed behind him.

Kyo looked at Tohru in concern. She was still whimpering and shaking. He knew deep inside this form was Tohru. HIS Tohru. His precious, precious Tohru. She had helped him face some of his pain. The least he could do was return the favor. He reached out and put his hand over her paw. "Tohru, it's time to go home."

Her eyes narrowed. She spoke with an unnatural growl. "How can I go home? I don't belong there." She pushed Kyo away, forgetting her inhuman strength. His arms shot up to block the impact, and he gasped as he felt her claws slice into his forearm. He fell back with a grunt, and he heard her make a high pitched sound. He looked up and realized that her face was contorted in terror. He hastily wiped his bleeding arm on his shirt. "I...I'm terrible. I really am a monster. I hurt you. I hurt you!"

Kyo dived across the room, grabbing her massive paw with both hands. She froze with a growling whimper. He pulled himself into a sitting position and looked straight into her eyes with a grin. "You call this hurt? Please. I've had worse from that damn Rat. You have to do better than that if you actually want to hurt me." Confusion flashed behind her eyes. His grin faded as he fixed her with his most intense stare. "And you'll have to do better than that to convince me that you're a monster. Do you think I'm a monster?" 

Her head shook back and forth. "You're Kyo-kun. You're always Kyo-kun. No matter what."

"And you're always Tohru. The kindest, most generous person I've ever met. No matter what. Don't EVER forget that."

She made a gurgling noise that Kyo realized was crying. "Thank you, Kyo-kun." Her features were softening. Shortening. She was turning back to normal. It always amazed Kyo that the transformation back didn't hurt. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at him. Her hand reached out to touch his cheek. He was crying. When did that happen? "Thank you." They reached out to each other with matching sobs. Kyo felt the comfortable warmth of her body and the tears moistening his shirt just before they were enveloped in the puff of orange smoke. Her cat form was so small. It shook with sobs. He stroked her to calm her down.

It only took a few minutes for her breathing to quiet. He realized she was asleep. Probably exhausted. He placed her head on his shoulder, using his left arm to hold her tiny body close to his. His right hand picked up the bag. He didn't bother with her ruined clothing. He strode to the door and pushed it open with his foot. Yuki stopped pacing and turned to them with fearful eyes. "Miss Honda?" He stopped and gaped at Kyo. "You look awful."

Kyo smiled. "Not surprised. I feel like I've had a few rounds with you."

His hand reached out and gingerly touched the cat's fur. "And Miss Honda? How's she? Akito didn't look happy when he stormed out."

"Yes, he didn't even look at us. An absolute shame." Kyo couldn't tell if Shigure was being serious or not. The Dog paused with that searching look of his. "Is she hurt?"

Kyo hesitated. "Not physically, as far as I can tell." Yuki let out a sigh of relief. "But...I'm not sure mentally. You both...know...how Akito can be. Tohru's...never had to deal with that before." He clenched his jaw. "That bastard made her take the beads off."

"What? So you saw...that form." Yuki's eyes were wide, and his face drained of the little color it normally held. Shigure looked a bit rattled, too. "I thought it sounded a bit loud, but not as loud as I would have expected."

"You mean as loud as it was the night I transformed?" There was no need for Yuki to respond. Kyo handed Tohru's bag to Shigure and looked down at her with a tender expression. "She didn't scream. Not even when I told her she could. I can't decide if it's incredibly stubborn of her or just plain incredible." He gently stroked her head like he was caressing her hair. He sighed and looked at Shigure. "Let's get the hell out of here. I don't want to stay in this place one minute longer." He lead the way out the door, holding Tohru tight the entire way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tohru couldn't be the Cat without experiencing this transformation at least once. There are a lot of parallels with the time their roles were reversed. It felt like something they both needed.


	8. Refuge on the rooftop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tohru deals with the aftermath of her meeting with Akito.

Tohru opened her eyes in confusion. She was under a blanket. In...her room? How did she get here? What happened to her clothes?

"You're finally awake. I'll get you something to eat. There are some clothes next to the bed. You can put them on while I'm gone." Tohru glanced at the neatly folded pajamas as Kyo walked out the door. She gingerly sat up and put them on. She felt empty. She looked at her wrist. At least she had her beads back.

The door opened after a few minutes. Kyo entered with a tray that he placed on the low table. Tohru's sensitive nose picked up the aroma, and her stomach rumbled. It smelled so good. Kyo smiled as he uncovered it.

"I made salmon, rice, and vegetables. It's pretty simple, but I've always liked it. I thought it would be a good choice." It did look good.

"Thank you, Kyo-kun." Tohru took a bite and smiled. It was delicious. She looked across the table as he poured her tea. "Have you eaten yet?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up." He uncovered a second plate. She flinched as his sleeve moved to expose a bandage on his arm. He tilted his head and looked at her in that way that saw right through her. He sighed. "Look. Don't worry about it. I'm fine. I've had worse. You know that."

"But...I've never hurt you."

He raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Not even when you smacked me in the face with your school bag?" Her face reddened with embarrassment. He grabbed her hand before she could hide her face. "I'm joking, okay? I'm not angry with you. You were scared and didn't know your own strength." His expression darkened. "Not like me. I knew full well what I was doing when I hurt you." She knew he was thinking of the night she had chased after him. Her shoulder tingled.

"You were scared, too. I know you'd never hurt me otherwise." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She laughed as his meaning dawned on her. "Okay, okay. I understand. We both made a mistake, and that's okay." He nodded and smiled as she returned to eating. It was quiet, but nice. If only it didn't feel like an illusion. She looked at Kyoko's picture as she finished. Mom was judging her. Why wouldn't she? She jumped up. "I...need to get some air." She opened the door and ran to the balcony. Kyo stood with a sigh.

She looked around, her breathing rapid and shallow. She crouched and jumped into the tree next to the house. Kyo came out the door. He walked straight to the ladder and started climbing. She watched him step onto the roof and stop. "Huh?" He turned in a circle. She couldn't hold in a giggle at his confused expression. He met her eyes and crossed his arms. "Hey, no fair! You know I can't jump that far." He sat down, crossed his legs, and let out a huff. "I mean, I could try. But do you want that on your head?" He was pouting. She couldn't stop giggling. He lifted his chin and motioned next to him with his head. She sprang from the branches and landed lightly next to him. He shook his head with a smile while she sat down. "About time. Now talk."

"About what?" She pulled her knees up to her chest and held them.

"Gee, I wonder. Maybe...about what happened with Akito." He turned to look straight at her. "I know he got to you. He has the ability to know just what to say to make you feel like shit." His fist slammed down in frustration. "I couldn't do anything! I'm not cursed right now, and I couldn't do anything. Why? I wasn't scared of him. So why did I let him do that to you?"

Tohru looked at him in surprise. She had never seen him so upset. She reached out and touched his shoulder. "I wanted to see him so badly. I wanted him to welcome me. To accept me. I wouldn't listen to you. How could you stop him when you needed to stop ME?" He looked at her with a stricken expression.

"I wanted to stop you. I knew Akito wouldn't give you what you wanted." He sighed. "I have years of experience being disappointed. It's part of being the Cat. But I...I just couldn't be the one to destroy your hope. You wouldn't have believed me anyway. You were too far gone." His eyes clenched shut and his voice dropped to a whisper. "I was so...scared. I thought Akito might take you away. That you'd go willingly."

Tohru shivered. "I wanted to. He said he'd make me a Sohma so that I could stay with him forever." Kyo tensed. "It sounded so...wonderful. But then..."

He looked up at her. "What? What happened?"

"I realized I'd have to give everything up. All my goals. School. Graduation. Work. My friends. Even..." her voice caught as two images flashed into her head. She glanced at Kyo before looking down. "...Mom. I hadn't even thought about her that entire time. I didn't even care when you gave me her picture." Her voice broke. "I...I...forgot her. How could I be so terrible?" She shook as the sobs wracked her body. Then she felt a hand on her back.

"It's okay. You weren't yourself. Your mom would understand. She wouldn't want you blaming yourself."

Tohru hiccupped. "Do you really think so?"

He bopped her head. "I'm sure of it." She smiled. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. "Here. I figured you might need it." She gratefully took it and wiped her face. She probably looked like a mess.

"Kyo-kun, you're so kind to me."

His face turned red and he looked away. "I'm really not."

"You are! And I...I don't deserve your kindness." 

Her mind wandered back to Akito's words when she transformed. They were all true. Especially the ones he whispered at the end. "Everyone will abandon you, just like your parents. Even Kyo. The Cat will return to me. And you can't do anything to stop it. You're much too pathetic and weak." Tohru couldn't stop her tears again. How were there any left?

"Hey! You don't need to cry again. You've got it all wrong. I'm the one who doesn't deserve YOUR kindness." Her head shot up in surprise. "Don't give me that look. It's the truth. You're kinder than I could ever hope to be. I mean, what kind of person willingly takes on someone else's curse? I wouldn't. But you did it without a second thought. That's..." Tohru prepared for an insult or joke. "incredible. Absolutely incredible." Her heart beat strangely, and she couldn't breathe for a moment. She was glad it was too dark for him to see how red her face had grown. A gust of wind hit them, and they shivered. "It's got to be close to midnight. Why don't we go down and wait for this day from hell to end?" Tohru nodded and took the hand he extended.

They climbed down quietly and entered the hallway. It was quiet. Yuki was probably in bed already. And Shigure...well, it was hard to know with Shigure. Kyo paused outside of her door and dropped her hand. "Well...good night." He turned to walk away.

"Kyo-kun, wait!" He paused and looked over his shoulder. "I...don't want to be alone. And I...don't want to be with Mom. Not right now. Could I...please...um...please..." She took a breath. The next words tumbled out in a rush. "Could I please stay with you? In your room?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Kyo do now? I love how these two can open up to each other in a way they can't with anyone else. I only wish they'd view themselves as positively as the other does.


	9. A wish come true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's nearly midnight. Will Tohru and Kyo return to normal?

"Could I please stay with you? In your room?"

Kyo froze in shock. "Huh?" Did she really just say what he thought she said?

Tohru blushed. "Could I please come to your room? At least for a while? I...don't want to be alone."

Kyo rubbed the back of his head. "Sure. I mean, if you really want to." Tohru nodded emphatically. "Just...give me a few minutes to get changed. You should...take care of what you need to. Like...brushing your teeth and stuff."

"Okay! I won't take long!" She bounded into her bathroom. 

Kyo grabbed his pajamas and went into the bathroom he shared with Yuki to change. He quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. He picked up his comb and tried to smooth down his hair. He sighed. What was he doing? It wasn't going to look right anyway. His hair always stuck up, and the color was all wrong. He idly wondered what his father would think of his current appearance. 'It probably wouldn't make any difference to him.'

Tohru waited outside his room, a pillow clutched to her chest. "Welcome back, Kyo-kun!" 

He reddened at the sight of the pillow. How long was she planning on staying? "You...you could have just gone in. You didn't need to wait for me."

Tohru looked shocked. "I couldn't do that! It would be very rude of me!" 

Kyo chuckled. That was so like her. He opened the door. "Well...come in then. And, uh, make yourself comfortable." She sat down on his futon and placed her pillow next to his. He awkwardly sat down next to her, wondering if he should sit in his desk chair instead. He looked at the clock on his desk and fiddled with his hands. "We've got five minutes until midnight. What do you think will happen then?"

"I don't know. I hope...things go back to normal." Her eyes filled with tears. "But that's so selfish of me!"

Kyo looked up with a start. "Wha? What are you talking about!? How is it selfish to want to be back to normal?" Why was she crying harder?

"Be...because, it means you...you'll be cursed again. I...I shouldn't be looking forward to that!" She buried her head in her hands.

Oh. It made sense now. Tohru was just being her usual, wonderful self. He tapped her head. She looked up with those stunning orange eyes shining with tears. "Hey. You don't need to cry over that. It's just...the way things are. I'm lucky to have even had one day without it. Don't worry about me."

He pushed back a bright strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. "Did...did you have fun today?" She looked hopeful.

He sighed. "Not really." Damn, she looked like she was going to start crying again. Why couldn't he have made something up? "Look. I get you wanted me to enjoy myself. But it...wasn't right. How could I have fun when you were struggling with MY curse? What kind of jerk would I be if I did that?" She nodded sadly. "But...I...do appreciate what you wanted to do for me. Just never, EVER make a wish like that again! Understand?" 

She nodded with a giggle. "I won't. I promise. Cross my heart." She even made an X over her heart. How could she be so cute and not even know it? The clock ticked over to 12, and a feeling like electricity jolted through them. Tohru's pupils narrowed into slits and immediately started dilating. Kyo felt his pupils contract. "Kyo-kun. Your...hair. It's starting to change." He could see the vivid orange of Tohru's hair and eyes starting to fade and assumed the opposite was happening to him. They stared at each other in silence.

After a minute, their coloring matched, and the change stopped. Tohru looked at Kyo, Hatori's words about Master Kazuma's father flicking through her head. 'If we had a son, that's what he'd look like.' She blushed at the thought. 

Kyo didn't notice her blush. His own voice echoed in his head. 'I wish I could hold you, even for five minutes.' His eyes widened as he reached out without thinking. He pulled Tohru to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. 

She gasped. "How...is this possible?" He tightened his grip as her arms wrapped around his back with a strength he didn't know she possessed.

"My wish. We've got...five minutes." He buried his face in her hair and breathed deeply. Her scent surrounded him. She was so small. She fit into his space perfectly. Like the missing piece of a puzzle. Her breath tickled his neck. He opened his senses completely to the moment. He needed to commit it all to his memory. It wasn't going to last. Five minutes wasn't long enough. Hell, five years wouldn't be long enough. He wanted this moment to last forever. He loved her so, so much. And he could never tell her. It would only destroy everything. His tears fell silently into her hair as he pressed his lips against the top of her head.

Tohru's tears started in response. It wasn't fair. She didn't want it to end. It felt so perfect. So right. Kyo's body surrounded her. Protected her. So strong. Yet, so gentle. Her heart swelled with an emotion she didn't understand. Her lips brushed against his neck for a breath. She inhaled, letting the moment fill her. She choked back a sob as she felt his grip loosen. His fingers ran through the strands of her hair as he pulled away. Their eyes met with stricken gazes. 

Kyo's left hand reached out and touched her left wrist. His fingers gently slipped under the beads. Her fingers curled around his as everything went black. They fell onto their sides, hands still clasped together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't let Kyo spend all day being the only one who couldn't hug Tohru. I imagine he's kicking himself for only saying five minutes.


	10. Dawning of a new day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new day has arrived. Is Tohru free of the curse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my husband for being my beta reader. He enjoys the Fruits Basket anime but tends not to read the fanfiction. So this was a labor of love for him.
> 
> Cultural notes: Fukubukuro are grab bags that are sold at the new year. They're a way to get items at discount and have a surprise. They're very popular in Japan.  
> A kata is a set way to practice martial arts techniques. They become more difficult as a student progresses through the ranks.

Tohru was in the dark room. She looked down at the cat glowing next to her. She could make out a tall figure at the other side of the room. It appeared to be looking for something. Her heart dropped as she realized who it had to be. "Do you have to go back?"

The low hiss answered. "I must. I am bound to him."

"But why? Why can't you just leave? Let him be free?"

"It is not the right time."

"When will it be the right time?"

"When my wish comes true."

"Your wish? What's your wish?"

"I cannot say. Perhaps," it gave her a searching look, "you'll be the one to help it come true. Your soul is pure enough for it to be a possibility."

"It's not. My soul is dirty."

The cat chuckled and shook its head. "You are just like him. Neither of you realize how pure you really are. I've bound myself to enough souls to know that pure ones are incredibly rare." It started to walk away. "The only other one like the pair of you was the previous soul I was bound to."

"Do you mean Master Kazuma's grandfather?" The Cat picked up its pace. The figure stood still, watching it approach. He straightened his back and took a step forward. The Cat jumped, sinking into his chest with a dazzling glow that filled the space and blinded her.

Tohru opened her eyes. Kyo faced her, breathing quickly in his sleep. "Kyo-kun!" His eyes shot open at her cry. "Your hair! And your eyes! They're back to normal!" She glanced at their joined hands. The beads were back on his wrist.

He followed her gaze. "I know. I can feel...it. The Cat." He looked at her. "I'm guessing you had the dream, too."

She nodded. "I'm sorry. I wish...I could have done more to stop it." She knew she had tried, but she couldn't remember their conversation. She felt like it was important.

"Stop making wishes like that. That's what got you into trouble. I'm just glad you're back to normal. I can deal with it. I always have." Tohru felt sad at his acceptance. She shivered. "Are you cold? Why don't you go to bed?" Tohru sat up and picked up Kyo's blanket from the floor. She carefully covered him and placed the rest of the blanket over herself. She snuggled down on her pillow with a sigh. "Wha? Your bed has got to be more comfortable."

"Not right now. I'm too tired to move. And I...don't...want...to...be...alone." Her voice faded as her brown eyes slowly closed. 

Kyo watched her with a tender smile. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. "I love you so much," he breathed in a whisper she couldn't possibly hear. Her fingers twitched. His hand grasped hers as he sunk into a deep and dreamless sleep.

They were the last in the house to wake up. Kyo trudged down the stairs as Tohru returned to her room to get dressed. Shigure and Yuki looked up from their reading as he entered the room. "Took you long enough to wake up, you lazy Cat," Yuki said in a dismissive voice.

"You'd know about being lazy. I'm almost always up before you."

"That's true enough," Shigure said in his sing-song voice. "I guess it's hard to get out of bed when you're sharing it with a cute girl." He looked over the top of his glasses and grinned.

"Disgusting." Yuki closed his book.

"Shut up! Nothing happened! Stop acting like that!"

"I think the Cat doth protest too much." Shigure was so infuriating. His expression instantly changed to the fatherly smile that only fooled one person. "Tohru-kun! Good morning! You look well. I hope you had a pleasant night's sleep." 

"Oh, yes, thank you!" She smiled shyly. "It was...very nice." Kyo felt his face turning red as the other men glanced at him. Tohru hesitated and bowed. "I wanted to...apologize for my behavior yesterday. It wasn't very fair to any of you."

Yuki walked over to her with a serious expression. "I'm the one who should be apologizing to you, Miss Honda. I was very unkind to you in the morning."

She waved her hands. "Oh, no, no, no! There's no need to apologize! None at all! It was a misunderstanding! You had no reason to think it was me!" She looked down with a frown. "Besides, I...I think I understand. When I looked at you...I didn't see the Yuki I knew. It was...strange. I'm guessing it was the same for you." She looked up with a hopeful smile. "Can we...just pretend it never happened?" Yuki nodded. The phone rang. "Oh, I'll get it!" She ran out of the room.

"Hey." Yuki turned to Kyo. "Don't bring it up again. It's just going to bother her." Yuki nodded. He couldn't believe he was agreeing with Kyo. Tohru ran back into the room.

"That was Uo-chan. She wants me to come out with her and Hana-chan since I couldn't yesterday. Is that okay? I'll be sure to finish my chores after."

Shigure patted her head. "Of course it's okay. You deserve a fun day out with your friends. Don't worry about us. Just enjoy yourself."

Tohru smiled and grabbed her bag. "I think I'll get a new dress. I need to replace..." she paused as Kyo pressed something into her hand.

"Here. That should be enough to get a nice one." Her eyes widened as she looked at the money in her hand.

"I...I can't accept this. It's much too generous! I don't deserve it." Kyo stared at her.

"It's kind of my fault your dress got wrecked yesterday. So keep it." He covered her hand. "Don't bring any back. If there's too much, use it to get something fun. A fukubukuro or something. Doesn't matter to me."

Tohru nodded. "I will. Thank you. What are you going to do today, Kyo-kun?"

"I was thinking of going to the dojo. I missed my run and need to do something physical."

"Have fun, and say hello to Master Kazuma for me!" She waved and skipped out the door.

Yuki knelt in his garden, pulling weeds with unnecessary vigor. He thought about how he treated Tohru yesterday. He could hardly even look at her. She seemed...tainted. Wrong. He stopped and wiped his forehead. How much of his animosity towards Kyo stemmed from the Rat spirit, and how much was just their personalities clashing? He was annoyed that he didn't know. He just wanted to move ahead and grow. To be the person Miss Honda seemed to think he was. But...it was so hard with the curse in the way. He sighed. He'd just have to keep trying harder.

Kyo worked his way through his kata. His mind was wandering, so he decided to review one that his body could flow though automatically. He took a breath and bowed to start. His muscles moved smoothly as he thought about Tohru. She was so good. Much too good for someone like him. Someone who deserved his fate. She'd be better off without him. He knew he was being selfish to want to bask in her glow, but it was only for another year. He frowned. It was probably going to hurt her when he left, but it was for the best. She'd move on. Forget him. Maybe even find someone who deserved her. He bowed to finish his kata.

Master was watching him. "Kyo. Come over and have a drink." Kyo accepted the cup. "Please sit with me." He sank into seiza across from Kazuma. "You seem distracted. Did something happen yesterday?"

Kyo sighed. Master was too perceptive. "Yeah, but...I can't talk about it." Kazuma cocked an eyebrow. "You don't have to worry. It's been taken care of. I just...wish I could have done better. Helped her more." His eyes closed with a grimace as he realized he said more than he meant to. Kazuma placed a hand on his head and ruffled his hair.

"I'm sure you did your best. You try harder than anyone I've ever known. And you keep trying when others would give up. I'm sure she appreciates it." Kyo was grateful he didn't pry. He wasn't ready to talk. He wasn't sure he'd ever be. This was probably going to be added to the list of secrets he kept from Master. Secrets like the reason they needed to go to the mountains for four months. He sighed and looked up.

"Oh, Master?" Kazuma paused at his earnest expression. "Please tell Saito-san to put up warning signs about making wishes at that shrine!"

Kazuma gave a confused look and laughed. "Kyo, you make no sense at times." He patted his head again. "Let's get back to work. I have a new technique I wanted to show you." Kyo jumped up eagerly, ready to further his training.

Tohru was so happy to see her friends. After all, the first meeting of the year was special. She was glad it happened before school started up for the third term. They had a fun time shopping and stopped to have some food.

"I'm glad that you're back to yourself, Tohru. Being sick sucks! Is Carrots back to his annoying self?"

"Um, yes, Uo-chan. I'm glad we only had a temporary condition."

Hanajima studied Tohru. "It seems your waves have returned to normal. It's a relief."

Tohru tried not to squirm. "Yes, I'm fine. Absolutely fine. A-okay!"

"Hanajima, stop with the waves already. You're worrying Tohru." Uotani sighed. "You didn't even make sense yesterday."

"I'm aware of that. But her waves didn't make sense to me. They had a quality that was....not quite human." Tohru shivered. "Much like the Sohma boys always have. It was the oddest thing."

Uotani wrapped her arms around her friends' necks. "That really makes no sense, even for you. It was probably just Tohru's cold and the distance throwing things off for you. Everything's fine now."

"You're right." Hanajima looked around. "I think I'm going to get some mochi. Would you care for any, Tohru-kun?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I'll keep our seats while you two get it." Tohru watched her friends walk away. She felt awful keeping secrets from them, but it was for the best. If they knew how she really was, they wouldn't want to be around her. She thought of Akito's words. They seemed less terrifying today, but she knew many of them were true. Except for one thing. She set her jaw in determination and her hands formed fists on her knees. "I won't give up. I'll break the curse and free everyone." Especially Kyo-kun. "No matter what. I promise."

Momiji pulled the bow across the strings of the violin before pausing to tune it. He picked up his phone as a notification pinged. It was a message from Yuki. Tohru was back to normal, and Akito hadn't hurt her. He sighed in relief before frowning. Even though it was selfish of him, he had been happy she was cursed. He could finally hug someone he cared about without transforming. Would that ever happen again? His bow flew across the strings as he warmed up with his scales. He was back to only being able to hug three women. Well, two actually. Rin never let him hug her. Kisa was like a little sister. Their hugs were usually to benefit her. And Kagura...well...she understood. She seemed to know instinctively when he craved touch and would respond with a bear hug. It was nice, but not as nice as hugging Tohru.

He shook his head with a wistful sigh. He was being foolish. Tohru was a dear friend, nothing more. He knew her heart already belonged to someone else, even if she didn't realize it yet. Someone whose love for her was written all over his face. He flipped through his sheet music. How was it that the Sohma Tohru most wanted to hug was the only one who couldn't yesterday? His face flushed in shame as he remembered his teasing. It made both Kyo and Tohru sad. He'd have to make it up to them. He pulled out the music to the song Tohru had requested the day she heard him play. He was determined to get it perfect before playing it for her. That would make her happy. He smiled. As for Kyo...he'd just have to keep egging him on. One of these days Kyo would be brave enough to make Tohru happier than anyone else ever could. Momiji would do what he could to make sure it happened.

"How are things at the main house, Haa-san?"

"They're exactly how you'd expect, Shigure. Akito is in a worse mood than he was at the banquet. Keep those kids as far away from him as possible."

"Of course. Perhaps I should pay Akito a visit."

"I know you'll only make things worse. It seems to be your specialty."

"You wound me! I'm only trying to help."

"We both know that you never help anyone unless you benefit from it. I've got to go. Akito is going to need something to help him sleep."

"Of course. We wouldn't want him to get cranky." The phone clicked on the other end. Shigure looked at the notebook in front of him. He tapped his chin with his pen, deep in thought. "As much as Haa-san tried to downplay it, yesterday should never have happened. It's a sign of something. But what? And how can I use it to my advantage?"

Kureno looked at Akito. The family head had finally fallen asleep, clutching him in desperation. He slipped out of Akito's grasp and crept to the bathroom. If he was going to be stuck here, the least he could do was be comfortable. Something had happened yesterday. He knew not to pry. But that didn't mean he couldn't try to figure it out. 

Akito was happy in the morning. It was the happiness that typically led to pain for someone else. Kureno was told to stay in his chambers, and the maids were dismissed. That meant it was something to do with the Zodiac. Something big if even the head maid was banned. But what? Akito was enraged after the mysterious meeting. It was almost like...Kureno's eyes widened. Was it possible? Had someone else's curse broken? He shook his head. No, this wasn't the same. It was similar to how she'd gone after Yuki during the banquet. Someone had defied her. But who? 

He thought back to Akito's rantings. "I can't believe HER!" That limited it to three possibilities. Rin seemed the most likely, since Akito's hatred for her was particularly strong. "That stupid, ugly girl!" But...she never called Rin that. Tohru Honda was the only person who brought out that insult. Why would she even be at the main estate? "That monster!" That had to be Kyo. Akito hated that he wasn't confined yet and that he currently wasn't under the control of the main estate. "That stupid monster doesn't even realize that I gave her an offer that others would kill for! She defied me! ME! Her God! I had her in my grasp, and she slipped away." It didn't make sense. Who was she talking about? He remembered the smile that followed. "It doesn't matter. I don't need her. She wasn't really one of us. Not like HIM. He'll return to me soon enough. Along with everyone else. And she'll be all alone, just as she deserves." Kureno rubbed his temples. That was one of her usual rants. He wondered if Akito had actually convinced herself that an unchanging, unending banquet was for the best.

He sighed and walked back into the room, picturing Tohru. She was so sincere, so caring. She only wanted Arisa to be happy. But it could never be. He had to stay here. He thought of the DVD Momiji had given him. What did Tohru want him to see? He was sure it wasn't anything important, but he was curious. "I'll watch it soon." Until then, it would remain safely hidden away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the divergence is over. We have returned to the canon in time for Kureno to watch the DVD. I tried to plot the story in a way that would make it possible to return to the main story without plot holes. I hope I achieved it. My goal was to give Tohru a deeper understanding of just what she's facing with her desire to break the curse. And it was fun to switch the roles and dynamics around a bit to showcase the development that has already taken place in the main story. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for the kind comments and kudos! I really appreciate it.
> 
> I'm working on another divergence story that focuses on our favorite rat. I plan to start posting it next week. I hope you'll check it out.


End file.
